Ronald “Phillip” Sessions, 86, of Cullman, Alabama, passed away 10 February 2024. He was a retired district superintendent who led the Alabama South (now Central Gulf Coast) District from 1988 to 1997. 

Phillip was born 30 July 1937 in Lanett, Alabama, to William and Lorene Sessions. Philip was a police officer and postman in Birmingham, Alabama, before responding to the Lord’s call on his life to be a minister in the Church of the Nazarene. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Lael College. 

Sessions spent his more than 40 years of ministry in the state of Alabama, serving at Colombiana Church of the Nazarene from 1972 to 1981 and Lanett First Church of the Nazarene from 1981 to 1988. In 1988, he was elected superintendent of the Alabama South District, which he led from 1988 to 1997. During his service as district superintendent, he was granted an honorary doctorate degree from Trevecca Nazarene University in 1994.

He continued to minister in Alabama after he served as a district superintendent, pastoring Decatur First Church of the Nazarene from 1997 to 2005. Despite retiring in 2005, Sessions pastored at Faith Church of the Nazarene from 2005 to 2008 and returned to Lanett Church of the Nazarene part-time from 2008 to 2011.

Sessions is survived by his wife, Mary Sessions; daughter, Chery Sessions White; sons, Ronald Phillip Sessions Jr. and Stephen Sessions; 13 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.